The Garden of Bliss
by Kiriana Starfire
Summary: Millie and Jamie's father sent them to the Xavier Institute in the hope that they would be safe from the people who wanted to kill them simply for being mutants. But the Friends of Humanity didn't get that memo and Millie has to trust the fate of herself and her brother to people she never knew existed. Warren Worthington/OFC
1. Chapter 1

_"Do you think that you shall enter the Garden of Bliss without such trials as came to those who passed before you?" - Scott Reed_

The old car chugged and coughed the last few inches up the hill before giving a sound that seemed like a dying breath and falling silent. The woman in the driver's seat threw it into park before it could decide to go anywhere of its own volition and pressed her forehead to the steering wheel. If this wasn't just her luck. She sat in the ancient, brown Volvo for several long moments, repeating a mental mantra - _I will not swear, I will not swear, I will not swear_ - as she tried to get a reign on her frustration.

She banged her fists against the steering wheel and looked up just in time to see smoke or steam starting to leak out from under the hood. "Great. Just lovely." She hoped it was steam and not smoke. Smoke likely meant fire under the hood and they were more than fucked. And unfortunately, she didn't know enough about cars to judge one way or the other without getting out to look, especially in the dark. The woman unfastened her seat belt, reached underneath her seat for the flashlight, and spared a glance at the sleeping puppy sprawled across the length of the back seat before kicking her door open and wandering around to pop the hood. She jumped back with a startled shout as steam exploded from underneath it. Sweet Jesus, that had been close. And she was an idiot. Nice to have some things about herself confirmed.

The young woman took a few seconds while the air around the hood cleared to take a quick mental stock of the situation. It was dark, not good, but she'd managed to pull up under a street light, good. A glance at her watch told her it was after 10 and she was so far out of town she could barely hear the sounds of the city nearby; double not good. She reached into her pocket for her mobile only to find that it had died. That wasn't just 'not good'. That was downright shitty luck. She reached up to run her hand through her thick brown hair. Could things get worse? _Stupid question, Millie. That's just asking for trouble and you've already got that in spades. _Millie sighed and closed her eyes trying to regain what little control stress had left her. Seconds later, as though fate were answering her unvoiced question, she heard thunder rumble in the distance and looked up to see the clouds gathering across the moon.

"Fuck! Fuck, fuck fuck fuck! Thanks for nothing!" she shouted at the open air, kicking the tire as hard as she could. So much for not swearing. She slammed the hood with more force than she probably should have and the entire car shuddered, and swallowed back the frustrated tears that were threatening as she stalked back around to the driver's side of the car. Once back inside, she closed the door and flipped on the hazard lights before closing her eyes and leaning her head against the back of her seat. The young woman took several slow, deep breaths, trying to calm herself. She had to stay calm, but dammit! They were so close! Within miles of their goal and the car just had to break down.

It took a few moments, but soon there was a faint, wet 'thunk' of water on glass that slowly gained momentum until it was falling steadily. Millie sighed and looked around the car, intent on focusing on anything but the current situation. If she didn't, she was sure she'd lose it and break down into frustrated, angry sobs and that release was a luxury she couldn't afford.

The car was old enough that the fact it had run at all was nothing short of a small miracle. She never had gotten the chance to figure out what year it was, but the angular build of it, the rust, and the dark brown color told the story of a vehicle that might date back to the 70s and was ragged with it. It certainly ate gas badly enough to be from that less fuel efficient era. The upholstery on the seats was worn and fraying, and the dash was peeling and cracked. The radio was so old that it had dials instead of a digital tuner; it was impossible to tell if the dash readouts were ever telling the truth. But, it had run and gotten them halfway across the country until that moment. Maybe it would start again if she just gave it time to cool off. She could only hope and her hopes were fraying as thin as the woven fabric of the seats.

"Millie?"

Millie turned to see a young boy, no more than 11, leaning between the seats, his longish brown hair flopping into his eyes. She shifted in her seat and saw that he was still naked from when he shifted back from the puppy form he'd been sleeping in and held back another sigh. Shape-shifters and casual nudity seemed to go hand in hand.

"Yeah, Jame?"

"What happened?" he asked sleepily, rubbing his hands over his face.

"The car broke down and my phone is dead." She didn't have a car charger. The trip was so haphazard and stressful that it hadn't dawned on her that it might be useful to have. God, this had to be a nightmare. "Get dressed, would you? It's raining and I don't want you to catch cold."

The boy nodded and leaned back to the backseat of the car. Soon the vehicle was moving and rocking with the motions of a child trying to get dressed in the dark. Millie reached down into her purse and pulled out the address and map her father had left in the safe deposit box for her. A push of a button turned on the dome light so she could see. She wasn't great at reading maps, but they'd hit Purdys about twenty minutes ago. That meant that they should only be about ten minutes from their destination. She looked up to peer through the rain soaked windshield thinking that it was ten minutes too far.

Jamie climbed over the seat, now fully dressed in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, and settled on the passenger side. "So, what're we going to do?" he asked after a few seconds, sniffing a little before leaning down to pull his sneakers back on his feet. Millie had learned to ignore the sniffing a long time ago. They weren't indications that Jamie was sick at all. When she'd asked him about it one time, he said it was because it made sense to get scents from things and that it helped him know what was going on around him. Millie guessed it was just part of his shifting abilities that carried over from his animal forms.

"I don't know yet. I'm sort of hoping that the car was just overheated and if we give it a little bit it'll cool off and start again." She was fairly convinced that wasn't the case, but a girl could hope.

"How far are we from the school?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Millie admitted and set the map between them. She pointed to a dot on the map, barely visible in the dim, orange glow of the dome light. "See, that's where it's at and back here is the town we just passed through when we got off the interstate, Purdys."

Jamie peered at the map. "It doesn't look that far on the map." The rain started to fall harder. The boy hesitated for a second before asking another question. "So, we're waiting for the car to cool off?"

"Or the rain to stop, yeah."

"Will you read to me while we're waiting?"

That got a small chuckle out of Millie. Leave it to her little brother to make the best of anything. She wished she could be more like him in that aspect. Then again, maybe it was just the innocence of childhood that she had long outgrown. "Okay." He leaned over the back of the seat and pulled out the book they'd been reading, "Peter Pan and the Starcatchers." Millie continued the chapter she'd started last night, and when that was finished, she handed the book to Jamie so he could take over and read to her. While he read, she found her mind wandering rather than focusing on the words of the book.

Millie stared through her reflection in the dark window, her blue eyes looking at nothing. In the course of a month her life had gone from moderately boring to painfully upside down. It still seemed very surreal at times and she was always convinced, somewhere in her mind, that she would wake up at any moment. But the reality was that she knew everything had happened, and despite it all she had to keep going. Jamie needed her to be the strong one and the one who knew what she was doing. They were the only constant in each others lives anymore and that kind of pressure didn't leave any room for momentary weaknesses or emotional breakdowns. She felt like she had changed so much in the few weeks since the attack, had gotten colder and more distant from everything except her brother. She'd grown more suspicious and distrusting than she'd ever been in her life. Even small acts of kindness, like the waiter at the diner that morning who had mistaken Jamie for her son and discounted their meals for no other reason than to be helpful, were scrutinized from every possible angle for ulterior motives.

Millie was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the SUV that had pulled behind them until someone came over to her window and knocked. She started with a surprised noise and looked over at the woman through the window. She rolled down her window a bit, noticing that the rain had slacked off enough that the dark skinned woman didn't really have to worry about getting to wet.

The stranger smiled in greeting and leaned down a little to look inside, the interior car lights reflecting dimly off of her white hair and blue eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice thick with some kind of accent Millie couldn't decipher.

Millie looked at the woman suspiciously for a second. "Yeah. The car stalled out and we're just waiting for it to cool before trying to start up again."

The woman nodded. "You do not have a phone?"

"It's dead."

"Would you like to try it again and if it does not start up we can call a tow on my phone and you two can wait in my car, if you like." The woman smiled. She seemed genuine enough and she slid her hand through the open window. "I am Ororo Munroe, by the way."

Millie looked at the woman for a moment, her new suspicions surging forward as she mentally ran through possible other reasons for the woman's offer. They were numerous, but Millie also realized that if they didn't get help they'd likely be sitting in the dark and rain all night and that was even more dangerous than the possibility of aid from a total stranger. And the woman had offered rather than insisting, which were points in the stranger's favor, unless she was particularly clever.

Finally, she took Ororo's hand gingerly. "I'm Millie and this is Jamie. Just, give me a sec." She reached around to the ignition and turned the key. It clicked once, and the lights flickered, but otherwise did nothing. She grumbled and tried again with the same results. Finally, she sighed. "Thanks, I really appreciate what you're doing for us." She grabbed the keys and got out of the car. Jamie climbed out after her before she shut the door.

"It is not a problem." Ororo lead them over to her SUV and reached in for her phone. She double checked to see that it was on and had power before handing it to Millie. Millie thanked her again and reached into her back pocket for her roadside card. As she talked with the operator, she wandered back towards her car to get the mileage information and things from it, turning back to look at her brother and the woman often to make sure Jamie was alright.

Ororo brushed a bit of water off the door of her SUV and leaned against it.

Jamie looked up at her curiously and sniffed quietly as he studied her. "Are you a mutant?" he finally asked.

Ororo looked down at him, one pale eyebrow raised in surprise. "What makes you think that?"

Jamie shrugged. "I've never seen anyone with hair like yours that wasn't my grandma," his tone indicating that wasn't the reason at all.

"Ah. Well, I am, but I think that from now on you'd better remember that's not a polite or safe thing to ask outright, alright?" Ororo smiled a little and ruffled his hair. "Not all mutants are good, just as not all people are good."

Jamie reached up to smooth his hair back down, understanding in his young eyes as he looked back towards his sister. "Oh. Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it." He looked up at Ororo. "We are, too. Mutants, I mean."

"Really? Where were you headed?" the woman asked, glancing over at the young woman who appeared to be getting rather frustrated on the phone.

"The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning." Jamie leaned back against the car and tucked his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "We got this envelope from Dad in Chicago and it had some money and the maps and stuff in it to show us how to get there."

Millie came over at that moment and handed Ororo her phone. "Thanks, Ms. Munroe. It's going to be like an hour til they can get here, and I hate to hold you up. Jamie and I can just wait in our car for the tow truck. Thanks again for your help." She held out her hand for Jamie. "C'mon Jamie."

Jamie took it and started to walk with Millie but they were stopped by Ororo. "Millie, wait." The young woman stopped and turned as Ororo walked towards them. "Jamie told me you are going to the Xavier Institute, right?"

Millie nodded slowly. "Yeah..."

"I am a teacher at the Institute. You can have your car towed there and I can drive you the rest of the way. It is only a few miles down the road. You had almost made it," Ororo offered.

Millie hesitated, biting her lower lip uncertainly. "I don't..."

_Go with her, Amelia. You and James will be safe._ A voice said at the back of her head. It wasn't her own voice, she never called herself Amelia, but it was somehow familiar.

Millie hesitated again and Jamie tugged her sleeve. "It's alright, Mil." He told her. "Ms. Munroe's a Mutant, too."

She looked down at Jamie and took a deep breath, praying she wasn't doing the wrong thing. "Alright. If you're sure you don't mind?"

"Not at all. Do you want to go ahead and load up your things?" When Millie nodded, the woman reached into her pocket and pressed a button on the key ring that sprung the lock on the hatch at the back of her vehicle. "Come on. I think the rain might be starting again soon." Jamie grabbed the keys from Millie's hand and ran over to the their car to pop the trunk. Millie followed, still uncertain. She helped Jamie get his suitcase from the car and while he was running around to get his bag and her purse from the front she pulled out her suitcase and laptop bag.

Ororo picked up Jamie's bag just as Millie was reaching for it. "Let me. You two certainly travel light for a cross country trip," she commented as she carried the bag to her car.

"How did-?"

"License plates." Ororo set the bag on the floor of the SUV next to another suitcase.

"Oh, right. I suppose I'm being too suspicious." Millie set her bag in next to Jamie's. Jamie came running around the car with the last of their things.

"Not at all. I would be, too, honestly. We do not live in a safe world, Millie. A little suspicion is good. Just do not allow it to stop you from letting people help you or keep you from helping people." Ororo closed the trunk and started walking around to the front of the car.

Millie watched the woman until she was out of sigh and then leveled a look at Jamie. "You. Are far too trusting."

"And you're too suspicious. She's nice, Millie. She smells right." He took her hand and led her to the passenger side of the car. The rain started to drizzle down again.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just what it says. Good people smell right. Bad people smell wrong. That's why I never stuck around when you had Keith over to watch movies." Jamie smiled. "It makes sense, trust me."

Millie shook her head, not understanding it a bit. "If you say so." She opened the car door and got in as Jamie climbed into the back seat. The rain started again in earnest as she closed the door.

"Excellent timing," Ororo commented as she started the car. She offered Millie the phone. "Do you wish to cancel your tow, or at least tell them where to take it? There is a man at the institute that can pick it up and work on it if you want."

Millie took the phone. The problem with that scenario was that either way she ended up trusting complete strangers. Still, her father had sent her to these people. She even thought she remembered him mentioning an Ororo Munroe at one point, but maybe that was wishful thinking. Then again, Jamie had said she was all right, and since he spent at least half him time in animal form, it made sense. Animal senses were keener than human, so maybe some of that crossed over to when he was shaped like a human. At least, that was the only explanation she could come up with that made even a little bit of sense. She'd never pretended to have any kind of a grip on understanding the x-gene any further than that it made her and her brother different and people often thought different was bad.

"Thanks," she replied as she took the phone again. Millie started dialing the roadside number again to cancel as Ororo pulled out onto the road.

They weren't on the road very long before Ororo pulled into a driveway. She entered a code into the keypad by the gated entrance and it swung open slowly. The woman drove the SUV up the drive, past a long multi-car garage, and up to a circle drive in front of an enormous mansion.

"Here we are." Ororo put the car into park and turned it off. With a thought she contrived a break in the rain - she did not want the children to get soaked, though she didn't normally mess with the weather much unless she had to - and opened her door. "Let us get inside before it starts again." She opened the trunk once again and pulled out the suitcases. The little boy was first back to get his and then ran up the stairs. He was too young, Ororo supposed, to have his sister's reservations. She closed the trunk and handed Millie her bag. "It is not as scary as it looks," she promised.

"I don't suppose it could be," Millie muttered, staring at the enormous, brick affair that stood before her. It would have been difficult to see much of it if it weren't for the lights illuminating the driveway and the double doors at the top of a cement staircase. As it was, even with those lights, Millie could make out just enough of the frame to realize that it wasn't a house; it was an estate or a castle or something similarly huge.

Millie followed the other woman up the stairs to the front door where Jamie was already waiting impatiently. Just as they stepped under the awning the rain started again. The trio went inside and Millie stopped short as she got her first look at the entryway. By itself it would have held the small house she'd lived in before moving back in with her father and Jamie a few years ago, and a good portion of the yard the one bedroom house had sat on. The hard wood floors were overlaid with deep red area rugs and the high domed ceiling had a gold and crystal chandelier hanging from the center. Directly in front of her was a wide, wooden staircase, lined in the middle with the same red carpet and lead to a hallway in front of it and two secondary staircases on the sides at the top. Where all that lead was anyone's guess. There were two halls leading deeper into the mansion on the main level behind the stairs and another pair of doorways to the side walls that presumably lead to yet more wings of the house.

Millie was nothing short of awed. She'd never been in a place so massive or fancy that wasn't a museum. By the expression on his face, Jamie was either just as impressed or wondering how much trouble he'd get into if he tried to fly his remote controlled helicopter in the entry way. Possibly both.

Before Millie could voice her amazement, a short, stocky man with brown hair that stuck up at strange, pointed angles and what must have been a perpetual snarl on his face stalked into the room. Millie nearly swallowed her tongue at the sight of him. This was a man she would not want to meet in a dark alley. Or even in the middle of a crowded square in broad daylight. Just the way he carried himself and what had to be his natural, fall back expression was enough to make the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Every instinct inside her begged her to not draw this man's attention, even though she was very sure that he was aware of everything and everyone in the room before he'd even come into it.

"Pickin' up strays, 'Ro?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly.

"Hardly. That would mean I have begun to pick up your bad habits," Ororo retorted. "They broke down a few miles down the road." The woman hung her jacket on a coat rack just to the left of the door. "Would you mind finding Bobby and Kurt and going to pick it up?"

"In this rain?" The man shot her a look, then shrugged. "Eh, sure. But only 'cause it's you, 'Ro."

Ororo rolled her eyes. "You are a gem, Logan." Her tone was sarcastic and it was fairly obvious the two ribbed each other like this regularly.

"Yeah. Regular prince charming, that's me." He looked at Millie and Jamie, sniffing suspiciously. Jamie sniffed back, much to the man's surprise. The two eyed each other for a moment, the same way two animals would study each other when deciding how to react to one another, before Logan grunted and turned his attention to Millie. "Ya got keys?" he asked.

Millie swallowed and quickly turned her attention to her purse so she could find them. Her fingers didn't seem to want to work and it took longer than she liked for her to pull out her key chain and hand them to him.

"Thanks," he grunted before heading towards one of the halls behind the staircase and disappearing into the shadows.

Ororo shook her head a little as they watched him go. She turned to her guests and had just opened her mouth to speak, possibly to offer some kind of reassurance given how pale Millie was sure she looked, when another voice spoke from behind her.

"Welcome home, Ororo. I trust your visit was enjoyable." The voice was a warm tenor, intelligent and somehow amused. Millie looked over Ororo's shoulder to see a bald man in an electric wheelchair moving towards them. She couldn't have said what it was, but there was something about this man that made just as much of an impression as Logan had but in an entirely different way. He wasn't imposing by any stretch of the imagination, not physically at least, but his being was powerful in a different way than that Logan person's had been. And in some ways more intense.

Ororo smiled warmly at the man. "Most enjoyable. It is hard to believe how much Mjnari has grown. He has already moved from his mother's tent to the young men's tent."

"Wonderful. I'm glad to hear he is doing well." The man stopped his chair a few feet away from them and folded his hands in his lap over the quilt he had covering his legs, presumably to ward off the chill of the rain. "You've brought guests."

"Yes, Professor. This is Millie and Jamie. Their car broke down a few miles down the road," Ororo replied. "Once I learned they were coming here, I offered them a ride."

The man smiled and nodded. He leaned forward and extended his hand to Millie. "It's nice to meet you, Amelia."

Millie hesitated before taking his hand. He gripped her hand warmly for a second before releasing it. "Thank you, sir. Are you Professor Charles Xavier?" she asked, remembering the name from the documents her father had left her.

"I am," he answered before turning his attention to Jamie. "It's nice to meet you, as well, James." The boy shook his hand, sniffing again, more softly this time. "Your father spoke fondly of both of you."

"You knew our dad?" Jamie asked curiously.

The Professor nodded. "I did. I'll tell you more about it later. Ororo, would you please help our new friends settle into a pair of rooms. I believe Amelia will enjoy the eastern corner bedroom, and James can have the one across the hall from it for now."

"Of course, professor." Ororo reached for Jamie's bag.

The Professor turned his attention back to Millie. "Once you've gotten dried off and settled, Amelia, I'd like you to come to my office. I believe you have something for me."

Millie swallowed and nodded. "Yes, sir." How had he known who they were just based on their first names?

"Very good. I will see you shortly." Professor Xavier smiled at both them them, a welcoming and almost charming expression, and then turned his chair to go deeper into the house.

Millie watched him go, feeling drained from the encounter on top of the rest of the day. "He's uncanny," she murmured after a long moment.

"He can be," Ororo chuckled. "Come. I am sure you are eager to get settled." She led the two up the broad stairs in the entryway. Jamie ran after her, but Millie followed a little more slowly, wondering what she'd gotten them into.


	2. Chapter 2

It did not take Millie long to change into the cleanest, nicest blouse and jeans that she had with her, neither of which were very clean or nice at the moment, really. Getting Jamie tucked into bed was another story. He was as curious as a cat and kept trying to find nooks and crannies in his room and hers to explore. At least he seemed to be taking everything well. They both were, all things considered. A mad dash across half the country didn't leave much time or energy for grieving. There had been times that Jamie had come to her for comfort during the trip, but now he was consumed with the belief that they could stop for a while. Mille just hoped that turned out to be true.

She finally gotten him tucked into bed with a book and the promise that he could read it as long as he wanted and could explore in the morning. As she closed the door to his room, she reminded him that she would be right across the hall when she'd finished talking to the Professor. Then she went to the room she'd been given and walked to the laptop bag that was sitting on the queen sized bed. Inside it she found the large, yellow envelope that was marked "Professor Charles Xavier." It was still sealed. She hadn't opened it, even though her curiosity had begged her to numerous times during the nights when she couldn't sleep. Millie ran her fingers over her father's handwriting, a single tear falling onto the paper before she'd even realized she'd teared up. She cleared her throat and quickly wiped it off the paper with her thumb. She didn't have time for that kind of nonsense. She had a meeting to get to. Millie wiped her eyes and turned to her door, wondering how she was supposed to find the professor.

She needn't have wondered. As she opened her door she saw a young man wearing sunglasses walking down the hall. Millie hesitated for a second, but the man didn't give her a chance to duck back into the room.

"Are you Amelia?" he asked. At Millie's slight, cautious nod, the man offered his hand. "I'm Scott. The Professor asked me to guide you to his office when you were ready to go."

Millie took his hand carefully, noticing it was warm and slightly callused. That was surprising, considering the man was dressed in a sweater and jeans that made him seem more like a prep than someone that worked with his hands a lot. "Umn... thank you. I wasn't sure how I was going to find it," she replied as she shook his hand twice and released it.

"I don't blame you. This place is large enough that it seems like someone is always getting lost, even those of us that have lived here for years." His smile was kind, but a bit patronizing. It was obvious, to Millie at least, that he either expected her to be too shy to know he was being high handed or it was such a habit that he didn't notice anymore.

"Good to know. Shall we?" she asked, ignoring the way his attitude made her want to stiffen her spine and tell him just where he could take his help. She was too tired and just wanted to get this over with so she could crawl into bed. The easiest way to do that was to accept his help.

Scott nodded. "Follow me," he said and turned as though it were a given that she would. Well, Millie supposed that it was, since she'd just agreed to take his assistance. Still, the man's attitude rankled. Either that or she was so much on edge that everything was bothering her.

He lead her through what seemed to be a maze of hallways and staircases before he came to a large door at the end of one hallway. "He's right in there," Scott told her. He knocked on the wooden door twice before stepping back. Millie watched the door as though something might come through it to get her, the envelope clutched in her hands.

"Come in," Millie heard the Professor's smooth, cultured voice came through the door. Scott reached forward to turn the knob and pushed the door open.

"Professor? I brought Amelia as you'd asked," he said as he stepped aside to let Millie into the room.

She swallowed hard and smoothed her blouse nervously and patted her damp hair to make sure it had stayed braided. She hoped, futilely, that the blouse and jeans she'd selected didn't look too slovenly, though another part of her mind reminded her that the Professor knew he'd asked her to come before she'd really had a chance to get anything cleaned and wouldn't be expecting her to look expertly put together.

She took a deep breath and stepped inside, attempting to project an aura of confidence she didn't feel. "I'm sorry it took me so long, Professor. Jamie was excited and exhausted, so wouldn't go to sleep."

The Professor chuckled softly from his place behind a large wooden desk. "I'm not surprised. It's been an eventful evening for both of you. Please, have a seat." He gestured to one of the leather, wing back chairs in front of his desk. Millie took a tentative seat on the edge of the one on the right while the professor looked at Scott. "Thank you, Scott. I will see you in the morning," he dismissed the other man.

Scott nodded. "Good night, Professor," he said as he left, closing the door behind him.

The professor studied Millie for a long moment and she found it hard not to fidget under his scrutiny. They were both silent for a few moments, the professor considering and Millie waiting for him to tell her why he'd wanted to see her so quickly.

Finally, the professor spoke. "Amelia, do you know why your father wanted you to come here?"

"He-" She took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice steady. "He wanted me to give you this." She set the envelope on his desk and slid it forward. She watched as the professor opened the envelope and pulled out the folders inside it. While he perused it, Millie found her thoughts drifting inexorably to the last time she'd seen her father.

_This wasn't supposed to be happening. This was their home. They were supposed to be safe there. But even as she thought that, more shots rang out, striking the other side brick wall of the walk in pantry and sending sharp pieces crumbling down on top of them. Millie curled around Jamie, trying to protect him._

_After what seemed like an age, the shots stopped and she looked up in relief as her father came into view. He yanked the door closed, as though it would really protect them from gun fire, and crouched near their hiding spot. "They're re-loading, Flora. We don't have long. You need to go out the back and up to the shed. There's a car there and I've already got some of your things in it." He pressed her laptop bag into her hand and a key into the other. "Take Jamie. Go to Chicago. There's a safe deposit box at the Memorial Bank and Trust downtown. Everything you'll need is in there."_

_They heard the ominous click of a gun echo on the other side of the door that lead to the pantry and basement. Millie looked at her father. "Come with us, Dad."_

_"I'm buying you time." He kissed her forehead and ruffled Jamie's hair. "Now, go! I'll draw their fire."_

_Millie watched as he opened the door and barreled through the other one, into one of the gunmen, effectively focusing the attackers on him. As soon as the shots started, Millie grabbed Jamie's hand and they ran for the side door that lead outside. She heard the shots as they ran up the stone steps to the upper yard and the shed. As they reached the shed a bullet ricocheted off the corner of the small building and grazed her arm. It felt like fire, and she glanced back to see two of the gunmen firing up at them. She dove into the building and to the old vehicle her father had told her was waiting there. The key fit the ignition and it roared to life. The shed doors were barely open when she gunned the engine and drove away._

She closed her eyes tightly against the tears that threatened every time she remembered it. The deposit box had held the envelope, a flash drive, and an envelope of cash. The flash drive had given her instructions, where to take the envelope and where to stay along the way. He'd been planning this a long time. It was like he knew he was going to die.

"Do you know what's in here, Amelia?"

"Millie," she corrected, wiping at her eye as subtly as she could. "And, no. It wasn't for me. I'm just the delivery girl."

"Well, apart from some information that will help me immensely with several mutant rights bills I'm dealing with, he's also included transcripts for you and your brother, medical records, and the paperwork necessary for you to become your brother's legal guardian. And an extensive stock portfolio." He handed her one of the folders. "In short, he's provided everything you will need to begin again and live a comfortable life."

Millie looked through the folder, unable to make heads or tails of the stock options enclosed within it. "Oh. I see." She murmured, swallowing against a lump in her throat. "He knew this would happen?"

"I think it's better to say that he suspected something like it might, but hoped it wouldn't. Do you know what your father was doing?"

"Something with mutant rights. I know there was a bill in Nebraska that was their own version of mutant registration that included mandatory testing and trying to make it illegal for mutants to marry or have children." She closed the folder and set it on the desk.

"Yes, and because of your father's lobbying it barely made it through the doors of the local senate. He's done a lot to help the mutant cause, which is why the Friends of Humanity targeted him."

"Friends of Humanity?"

"An anti-mutant terrorist organization. They're the ones that attacked your home and, I believe, attempted to frame you for your father's murder, even though his body hasn't been recovered."

"They what?" Millie gasped, her head spinning at the implication. She gripped the arms of her chair and tried to stop her head from buzzing, barely hearing it as the professor tried to calm her. She was wanted for her father's death. She hadn't ever gotten so much as a parking ticket and she was wanted for murder. Oh, god... this couldn't be happening. What had happened to turn her life so completely upside down? She couldn't breathe, couldn't think beyond the circle of thoughts that begged for answers.

Finally, after what seemed like hours but was probably only a few moments, she heard a voice, as clear as anything, inside her head, calm and soothing.

_/You must calm down, Amelia. Please, before you turn my office into a jungle./ _Millie focused on his voice and slowly the buzzing receded and she was able to see clearly again.

"That's better." He patted her hand, and Millie realized that he'd come around to her side of the desk. She looked around and realized that all of the plants in his office had sprung into full bloom and some had gotten bigger. "While my day lily has never looked better, I think we'd better keep from any further outbursts." He smiled and squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"Yes... I'm sorry. I just- I can't believe I'm wanted for my father's murder."

"You're not. The detective that they got in said that there was no way you could have done all that damage on your own with a young boy in tow, to say nothing of hiding a body so completely that there's been no sign of it." He sat back in his chair and wheeled it back to a more comfortable speaking distance. Professor Xavier had his own suspicions about what had happened to his friend's body, but it wasn't the time to voice them to Amelia. "And the handwriting sample that they got from your room to compare to the note didn't match up. It was an obvious forgery. In fact, it was a rather sloppy attempt." He frowned thoughtfully. "But, the point is, you're not a suspect."

Millie nodded and ran her hands over her face. After a moment she looked up at him. "That was you in my head."

"Yes, I needed to get you calmed down. It was the only way you could hear me at that point. You panicked and blocked out everything else."

"No. Not now." Millie shook her head. "Earlier tonight. In the street when Ororo was offering us a ride. You told me it was safe to go with her. I know it wasn't me because I never call myself Amelia and it didn't sound like me. It was you."

The professor nodded. "I admit I did hope to encourage you to come here." He at least had the courtesy to look somewhat abashed at his behavior.

"And that's how you knew who we were in the foyer just based on our first names. You've been rooting around in my head!" She tried to muster a glare, but feared it might have appeared more tired than angry.

"Not at all. I haven't uncovered any secrets, Amelia, nor have I gone hunting through your memories. I merely projected my thoughts to you in that moment." He leaned back in his chair. "As for how I knew it was you, I knew you would be coming here as soon as I heard of the attack. Your father has been in contact with me for some time, though I admit we never met in person. When he was setting up the plans and arrangement for you and your brother to get to safety, he contacted me for assistance. He showed me pictures so I would know you when I saw you, and explained your abilities to me." He looked at her, his face serious. "I apologize if you feel that is a breech of privacy, and I realize it is, but I did it for your father."

Millie sighed. Her father had really thought of everything, hadn't he? "You never met him?"

"Not in person, no. Though we did speak over the phone and Internet on a number of occasions. I knew him as well as a person can under those circumstances and considered him a friend. And Amelia, you need to know, you were the one that inspired him."

She looked at him, confused. "I what?"

"You're the reason he went into legislative law and started fighting for mutant rights. He had been a very successful state prosecutor before then, but when your mother shunned you he decided to take action the best way he knew how. He's been working for mutant civil liberties, mostly in the background, for more than 10 years. After he and your mother divorced, he started speaking to the capitol in Nebraska for mutant rights. " The professor leaned forward again and took her hand into his. "He never mentioned you or your brother, that would have put you in danger, but you and your brother were what inspired your father to work for mutant rights. You two, in a way, became the faces for mutant rights in Nebraska."

Millie swallowed hard and pulled her hand back and looked down at the floor. "I didn't know. I mean, I just always thought... I can't remember a time when he wasn't lobbying for mutant rights. We talked about it, but he never really told me why he was doing it. And I didn't think- Why didn't he tell me?"

"I don't know. Maybe he thought you knew." Charles cat back in his chair and folded his hands carefully in his lap. "I thought you'd like to know why your father had been working so hard for his cause.

"It's getting late. Let's continue our talk tomorrow. You're exhausted and have much more to think on now than you did."

Millie nodded and stood. "Alright. Thank you, professor."

"You're welcome. Oh, before I forget, do you know how to read that stock portfolio?"

"Not a bit." She shook her head as everything caught up with her.

"I know someone that can probably help you make sense of it if you don't mind me showing it to someone."

"Ah, no, that's fine. I appreciate it. Good night, sir."

"Good night, Amelia. I'm glad you made it."

Millie nodded and walked out of the office. She barely remembered getting to her guest room, but was glad she managed. As she changed into her night clothes, she was certain that despite how tired she was, her mind wouldn't let her sleep.

She was mistaken and as soon as her head hit the unfamiliar pillow she began dreaming.

_The dreams always started like this. She was in her favorite pajamas, the green flannel ones with the kittens and flowers printed on them, with her feet tucked into her dark green house shoes and her robe thrown over it all. Her hair was loose about her shoulders and slightly damp as though she'd just showered. She was curled in the wide outdoor rocker on the back deck of their house with a cup of tea cradled in her hands that she sipped as she stared at the sky. Without looking, she knew her father would be sitting in a chair next to her in a pair of well worn jeans and old concert t-shirt. His longish, dark hair would be tied back at the nape of his neck and he'd have an open Harps beer in his right hand. Even though he was dressed like a retired rock star, there was an air of authority about him. It was the same air that made people pay attention to him when he spoke in court or to the House._

_She felt more than saw him take a drink of his beer and she raised her mug to her lips to sip it automatically. Chamomile. Her favorite._

_"So, you've made it. Thank goodness," her father said, his voice deep and powerful. "I was afraid that you wouldn't get there in time."_

_"We almost didn't. The car broke down five miles away from the Institute. It was only luck, really, that Ms. Munroe was headed out to the store and stopped to pick us up." She shifted in her seat._

_"Ororo's a good woman."_

_"She seems to be, but I wasn't going to trust her at first. It was only because I needed to get Jamie out of the rain that I trusted her at all." She paused. "Why did you want us to come here? This whole month, all you've been doing is telling me we had to get here, had to hurry. Why here? And how did you know that something was going to happen enough to prepare everything in advance like you did?"_

_"The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning is a school for mutants, Flora. Charles must have told you that much already." He looked over at her, his green eyes warm. "Perhaps I should have sent you and Jamie here years ago, when I first learned about it, but by then you were too old for high school and I didn't want to uproot Jamie after the divorce. He'd already lost one parent, and being sent off to a boarding school so soon after would have been akin to losing another. And I didn't want to lose either of you after losing your mother and Peter." He looked at her. "Was I wrong, Flora? Should I have sent you two here when I first learned of it?"_

_Millie shook her head. "No. I hate that you were killed, daddy, but I wouldn't trade these last three years of being with you and Jamie for anything. And neither would he." She took another drink of her tea. "But how did you know to have everything ready? It's like you knew they were going to attack."_

_He took a deep breath. "I suppose I should have told you this years ago. I'm a mutant, Flora. I've got a touch of pre-cognitive abilities and some telepathy. That's how I'm able to communicate to you now."_

_"But, you're dead, Dad. You have to be. There's no way you could have survived that attack." She swallowed hard and looked at him. "Is there?"_

_"Just remember that sometimes, things are not as they seem." He reached over and cupped her cheek in his hand. It felt warm and real against her skin, even though it was only a dream. "And I'm so glad you made it. I love you. Now, wake up."_


	3. Chapter 3

Millie woke up to the sun shining over her head and burrowed deeper into the blankets, her sore mind and body begging for just a little more time in the blissful darkness of sleep. However, her better judgement, or a long habit of waking up fairly early, had other plans. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was after 8. She groaned quietly. Fine, time to get up.

Unlike some people, she didn't have the amnesiac moment of thinking she was somewhere else or not remembering what had happened. She remembered everything. It was too bad. The peace that a few moments of forgetfulness would have given her would have been nice.

Millie sighed and sat up, looking around the room. It was very nice. The bed was big enough that she could sprawl and window that the sun was shining through was actually a pair of french doors leading to a small stone balcony, framed by sheer curtains. There was another window in the other wall with coordinated dressings. A small writing desk sat in the corner between the two windows and a dresser with a mirror was along the wall next to the doors.

Millie pushed back the blankets and went to the balcony. The stone was cold on her bare feet as she stepped out, but she wanted a look around. What she saw caused her to pull in her breath sharply in surprise.

The grounds were extensive and everything a gardener, or a young woman with an affinity for plants, could want. There were flowers and bushes close to the house and trees farther out and everything was covered in lush green grass. And she couldn't see where it ended. She could hear children, running and playing somewhere on the grounds, but they weren't where she could see them. Below her to the left, Ororo was walking the grounds with a small storm cloud that followed her like a puppy watering all the plants.

Millie shook her head a little. This place was too good to be true. _I suppose it's time to go find out the bad news. It's not like they'll let us stay on indefinitely. But, maybe for a little bit at least. _She sighed and went to her suitcase and pulled out her second cleanest set of clothes and her bathroom bag.

Twenty minutes later she was knocking at Jamie's door. "Jamie. Time to get up." There was no answer. She frowned and opened the door. "Jamie?" The bed was empty and unmade, and about half of his suitcase was strewn about the floor. "Jamie, are you hiding? This isn't funny." She spoke to the empty room, trying to quell the surge of fear that had reached up to clutch her stomach.

She turned to run out of the room and ended up running right into someone that hadn't been there a moment ago. "Oh god, I'm sorry, I wasn't loo..." she trailed off as she got a good look at who she'd run into. He was blue, furry, and had a tail. The hair on his head, which was longer than what was on his body, was sticking up at all angles. His hands and long, bare feet only had three wide fingers and toes on them.

"Many apologies, _Fraulein_." His voice was accented heavily with a German accent. He smiled and bowed. "I did not mean to run eento you. I am Kurt Wagner. Also known as ze Incredible Nightcrawler." He bowed with at flourish, glancing up at her with a wink, before straightening and holding his hand out for hers.

Millie blinked at the hand for a full second before timidly reaching for his hand. "I'm Millie Bartholomew. Nice to meet you." Ok. He was a mutant, just like her. Nothing freaky. Ok, nothing too freaky. Except... he was blue.

"Ahh! Ze car girl!"

"Car girl?"

"You are ze one zat Ms. Munroe brought een last night whose car broke down, right?"

"Ye-es..."

"I helped Logan bring eet een. Und, oh boy, you should have heard Logan vhen he got a look under ze hood last night." His grin was infectious. "You vill be extremely lucky eef he gives eet back to you vhen he gets done with eet."

"In my defense I've barely been using that car for a month, and I was running for my life."

"Really?" Kurt's ears literally perked in interest. "Zis I must hear! Oh! But first, I vas sent by ze professor to find you. He said not to vorry about James because he has had breakfast und ees een class right now, und zat you need to be een his office by 10 to meet vith him and ze broker."

"Oh, wow, really? Jamie's in class? Willingly?" Millie couldn't believe how efficient this all was. It was almost suspicious except... her father had trusted the Professor. Why else would he have told her to come here?

"Oh, he vas enzralled vhen I left him. He ees een Dr. McCoy's elementary biology und chemistry class right now. I zink eet ees stink bomb day. Und eef eet ees not, Dr. McCoy vill find un excuse to make eet stink bomb day because zere ees a student een ze class zat has not made one." Kurt offered her his arm. "Now, shall I escort you to breakfast, _Fraulein_?"

"Umn... that would be nice, thank you. I'm afraid I have no idea where the kitchen is." Millie did not take his offered arm, but instead gestured for him to lead on.

Kurt grinned mischievously at her. "My vay ees easier. Vant to go for a ride?"

"A what?"

"Vatch." He took her hand and they disappeared from where they were with a 'bamf!' and appeared in the kitchen.

Millie sank into a chair at the table they'd landed next to as she waited for her head to stop spinning. "What in God's name was that?"

"A teleport! Ze only vay to travel!" He cocked his head to one side and frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Umn, yeah. Just a little dizzy. Can I have a bit of warning next time?" She looked at him ruefully and reached up to tuck back a bit of hair.

"Oh, _ja_, sure. Sorry." Kurt went to the sink and reached into the cabinet for a glass. He filled it with water and brought it over to her. "Here. Zis vill help."

She took the glass with a quiet thanks and sipped it slowly. A few minutes later she was feeling better and her appetite was returning. "Sorry about that."

"Eet ees my fault. I get carried avay sometimes und forget zat not everyone ees as used to teleporting as I am." He clapped his hands together. "Now, breakfast. Ze kitchen ees open to eweryone, just clean up after yourself. Zose are house rules."

Millie nodded and stood to go over to the fridge and see what was available. There appeared to be several pre-portioned plates of left over breakfast and she opted for one of those. She removed the plastic and put it in the microwave. "So, how many people live here?" she asked as she set the timer.

"At any giwen time? Between 25 und 60, counting teachers und residents." Kurt did a quick teleport and appeared on the counter. "Students are ze hardest to keep around."

"Really? I'd think that they'd all be glad to be in a place where they don't have to hide their abilities. I know I would have killed for that kind of chance." She started looking for a mug for coffee, checking the cabinets until she found it.

"Some go back home. Ve get a lot uf runavays. Ozers just decide zey don't vant to follow ze rules." Kurt grabbed an apple from the bowl with his tail.

Millie poured her coffee just as the microwave dinged. "I guess that makes sense." She pulled her breakfast from the microwave. "So, are you student or teacher?"

"Neizer. I am but a humble resident." He grinned at her. "But I help out vith keeping ze place maintained und zey've currently got me on duty as resident enforcer een ze boys dorms."

She nodded and took her breakfast to the table. She'd almost sat down before remembering she needed silverware. "Which drawer are the forks in?"

"Two down from ze dishvasher on ze left." Kurt answered from around a mouthful of apple. Millie grabbed her silverware and went to sit at the table. "So, vhat brought you here?"

"My dad told me to bring Jamie here." She said evasively as she spread butter on her three small pancakes.

"Vhat about zat running for your life you mentioned?" he asked curiously.

Millie swallowed and set her knife aside, her appetite suddenly gone. "...yeah."

Kurt muttered something under his breath that sounded German. "I am sorry, Millie. Sometimes I do not zink before I speak. Obviously, eef you vere running for your life you might not vant to talk about eet. I vill just shut up now."

Millie looked over at him. "No, it's fine. It's just... I haven't quite processed everything that's happened. It's been a hell of a month."

"Take all ze time you need to process. Forget I asked anyzing. See, I am nozing but a fuzzy paperveight here on ze counter. Or a blue fruit bowl." He emphasized each change by striking a different pose. "I am not here."

Millie couldn't help herself. She giggled at his antics. At least he wasn't going to press her for information. "Alright. Thanks." She smiled at him and went back to her breakfast before it got cold.

"Can I ask vhat your mutant pover ees, at least?" Kurt asked after a few moments of silence.

"Umn... plants, I guess, is the best way to explain it," she replied after swallowing a bite of sausage. "I'm kind of attuned to them. I can make them grow a little and I know when they're sick or need water or to be re-potted. Stuff like that."

"Vow. Can you make zem grow een rapid succession? Like poof! Insta-plant?" Kurt propped himself up on his tail, his expression telling Millie he really was interested in learning about her power.

"Umn, not really. I mean, only when I get upset. I tend to lose control then and plants just sort of explode around me." She took a sip of coffee, grimacing a little at the strong taste. "Oh, god. Who made this coffee? It tastes like motor oil."

"Ah, zat vould mean zat Logan made eet. He likes eet strong enough to take ze lining off your stomach und zick enough to double as axle grease." Kurt teleported to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of flavored creamer. He took it over to the table and set it down for her. "Mix a little of zat een. Or a lot. Eet helps."

Millie chewed a bit of egg while she doctored the coffee and then took another sip, more hesitant this time. "You're right. That is better. So, what are your powers then? Just the teleporting?"

"Und ze obwious physical enhancements zat make me irresistible." He waggled his bushy, blue eyebrows at her teasingly.

Millie laughed. She liked him. He was entertaining and made her feel at ease here in a way that she wasn't sure would have happened otherwise. "So, I see." She glanced at the clock on the microwave and stood. "Shoot. I'm going to be late."

Kurt looked over his shoulder. "_Ja_, you are. Here, since you are new, I'll take care uf your dishes zis time. Just remember my kindness vhen you get on ze chore rotation."

Millie smiled and nodded. "I will. Thanks, Kurt!" And she dashed out of the kitchen.

Kurt watched her go, then started counting backwards. "Und 3... 2... 1..." Just as he said one, Millie poked her head back into the kitchen.

"Umn, which way to the Professor's office?"

"Go right down ze hall to ze sitting room, zen left zrough eet, und all ze vay to ze end. Eet ees ze big wooden door on ze right."

"Right, left, right. Got it. Thanks, Kurt!" And she disappeared again.

Millie found the office without incident and knocked quietly on the door at 10 on the dot. She opened it when she heard the Professor invite her in, and stepped into the office. The professor was sitting at his desk and a blond man was sitting in one of the chairs thumbing through a folder until she walked in. He was impeccably dress in a suit and tie and stood politely when he saw her.

"Ah, good morning, Amelia," Professor Xavier greeted as she closed the door behind her. "Perfect timing. Warren and I were just going over the stock portfolio your father left you."

"Good morning, Professor." She nodded in greeting and took a few, slow steps further into the room.

"Please, take a seat. Amelia, this is Warren Worthington III. Warren, this is one of our newest arrivals, Amelia Bartholomew," the professor introduced the two of them officially as Millie sat down.

Millie managed not to blink owlishly at the blond man. _The_ Warren Worthington was the professor's broker friend? And he'd come out here on the professor's whim to look at her father's stock folder? Fortunately, she recovered quickly enough that the shock might have gone unnoticed, and regained enough composure to extend her hand to him. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Worthington."

He took it and clasped it briefly, his palm warm and dry against hers. It's what her father would have regarded the hand of a confidant man. "And you, Ms. Bartholomew." He sat back down once Millie was situated. "I've been going over the stocks that your father bought, and I must admit I am impressed. He either had a very good broker or was very good at picking the right companies to buy from."

"Really? I never even knew that he had anything invested." Millie leaned forward to look at the folder. She was starting to wonder how much more she didn't know about her father. He seemed to have kept a lot from her.

"He's been investing for years. Since the mid to late 80s at least, probably dabbling before that. And always the right companies." He handed her a few stock folders, one read "Worthington Industrial" and another "Stark Enterprises" and a third was for . From what she could see there were several more still inside the folder. "There are a few investments for companies that didn't pan out, but it almost appears as if they were more of a red herring, as though he wanted to invest poorly every so often so no one would catch on." Warren looked at Millie and smiled. "In short, your father was wasted on legal and government work and should have been taking Wall Street for all its worth."

Something nagged at the back of Millie's mind as Warren mentioned her father's ability to invest with all the right companies. A dream that felt like a distant memory, of her father telling her he was a mutant. She dismissed the thought. "He enjoyed his work," Millie retorted, mildly offended at Warren's suggestion that her father should have been more focused on personal profit. "And what he was doing was very important."

"Oh, I agree." Warren took her affronted manner in stride. "I was speaking from a strictly financial perspective, not a humanitarian one."

"Money isn't everything." Millie bristled a little. Worthington's cocksure attitude was pricking her in all the wrong ways.

"No, but it helps make everything else a little easier," he countered, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Tell me, what were you planning to do if this didn't pan out? A young woman with a little boy to support."

Millie clenched her fists in her lap as he mentioned one of the many things she'd feared this entire month. She glared at him and set her mouth in a stubborn line. "I'd have gotten a job and made it work. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and Jamie. I'm sure it's difficult to see from inside your ivory tower, your highness, but people do it all the time and manage just fine."

"Hardly. They survive, certainly, but it's hardly what I'd call living. Do you really think you could have done it? All alone without daddy to catch you when you fall?"

Millie shot him a hard look. Rich business magnate or not, she wasn't about to let him get away with treating her as like some idiotic twit with no grasp on what was going on. She'd been through too much that month to take shit from anyone, especially not a wealthy playboy who'd been born with not only a silver spoon but whole damn flatware set in his mouth. "If you think that all I am is some prissy little girl that relied on Daddy for everything, you can leave. I take care of myself and my brother just fine."

"And you've been doing such a good job, driving him around in a broken down heap of a car and taking rides from strangers. Very safe. Well done." Warren's voice was thick with sarcasm.

"It got us here, didn't it?" she shot back. "I may have preferred to do things differently, but at least we got where we were going."

"Well, aren't you lucky. What happens when that luck runs out? What do you do then?"

"I'll keep going." She clenched her hand into a fist before she gave into the desire to reach over and slap him into next month. "Maybe I am lucky, but stop making it sound as though I spend my life taking stupid chances. You don't know a thing about what Jamie and I have gone through to get here. It might be easy for you to sit and condemn my actions and my choices, but there was nothing easy about making them."

"Warren." The professor spoke before the man could retort. "I asked you here to educate Amelia about her stock portfolio, not provoke her."

Warren straightened his spine and adjusted his tie. "Of course, Professor. I apologize." It was impossible to tell if he was apologizing to Millie or the professor, but Millie suspected it wasn't to her. "As I was saying: your father has provided enough in these stock options that you will be able to provide for yourself and your brother for a very long time, including college for both of you. There is a life insurance policy, as well, but I'm afraid that it will take some time to get the company to pay out, if they will, given the circumstances of your father's death."

The words weren't unkind, but they were a hard truth and Millie forced herself to take them as such. In this, she could tell, that he was being a professional, even if he had been a prick a few moments ago.

Warren closed the folder and offered it to Millie so she could look through it. She took it and began to page through some of the documents, even though she didn't understand a bit of it. "If you like, I can handle the brokerage of them for you or give you the number of someone I trust to handle them."

Millie eyed him suspiciously for a moment. She got the feeling that he might be a spoiled brat, but he was nothing but fair in his business dealings. "If I can trust you, you can handle it," she told him finally, her expression stating that she didn't trust or like him in the slightest.

"He handles the investment interests for the Institute, Amelia. He's perfectly capable and trustworthy when it comes to business. It's his interpersonal habits that need work," the

Professor replied, exchanging an unreadable glance with Warren. Millie nodded and handed the folder back to Mr. Worthington, who slid them into his briefcase.

"Thank you, Amelia. If you don't mind, Warren and I have some other matters to attend to. Your brother should be on a class break about now. Why don't you go see how he's acclimating?" Charles suggested, his tone not unkind but obviously not wishing for her to linger. Her questions about her future at the mansion would have to go unanswered for now.

Millie nodded and stood, finding that, even though she had questions she was grateful that the professor wasn't going to make her hang around while the Worthington was there. "Alright. Thank you, Professor. Mr. Worthington."

It didn't escape her notice that Warren stood politely when she did and stayed standing until she closed the door behind her.

Warren looked at Charles and raised an eyebrow. The professor waited until he sense Amelia was gone before speaking. "Thank you, Warren."

He nodded. "You're welcome. Mind telling me why exactly you wanted me to get her riled?" He leaned back, careful to not crush his wings - which were hidden under his blazer - too horribly. Bent feathers hurt like hell.

"I needed to find out if she had any temper. Last night was a bad night to tell, because she was tired and waspish anyway, or should have been. But she was merely suspicious and resigned. Today, after a good night's sleep and breakfast with Kurt she was feeling a little happier, so it was easier to find out."

Warren raised an eyebrow. "And why do you need to know that?"

"First, it's a good indicator of just how much control she has over her abilities. Since the room didn't burst into bloom when she was angry like it did when she was upset last night, I'd say she has a relatively good level of control, though not perfect by any means."

"Or a fairly small amount of power," Warren pointed out, crossing one leg over his knee. "She just may not have the ability to do more than the occasional outburst. Low level abilities are more common than the higher ones, Charles. What's the second?"

Charles sighed and steepled his fingers. "I needed to see if she had the right temperament to fight." He pulled a small electronic device, no larger than a button with a red LED on the top of it, from inside his pocket. "Logan found this in her car. It's a tracking device. Logan deactivated it before coming here, but the Friends of Humanity have been, presumably, tracking their movements since they left their home, or very nearly. I'm going to have to enroll her and her brother into sessions with Logan whether they like it or not."

Warren leaned forward to pick up the device and examined it closely. "I'd think that after what they've been through, they wouldn't mind a bit of self defense training."

"Her brother certainly won't mind. And while I believe that Amelia won't deny that it's necessary, I'm still not entirely certain if she'll be able to do it."

"She will," Warren said with absolute certainty as he handed the tracking device back to the Professor.

Charles cocked his head to one side and raised an eyebrow, interested in Warren's opinion of Amelia's capabilities. "You sound very sure of that assessment, Warren."

"She was going to slap me. You could see it on her face. She wanted to beat the hell out of me. I should be demanding hazard pay from you," he replied jokingly, making Charles chuckle quietly. "Besides, hens and their chicks." Warren shrugged. "Anything threatens Jamie, she'll fight to the death to protect him with whatever she has at hand. It's the same reason she got so angry when I insulted her father and her ability to take care of her brother. She's a nurturer, and those can be deadly when you threaten their family or anyone in their care."

"Hmn... you may be right. I hadn't thought of that angle." Charles frowned thoughtfully. It was unusual for him to not think of every possible angle, though not unheard of. "I'll have to keep that in mind."

Warren nodded. "Was there anything else you needed me for? If not, I'd like to stretch my wings in the Danger Room before I go back to the office."

"Go ahead. Just be sure you're finished before Logan's noon class."

Warren stood. "I'll be back in a few days to give Ms. Bartholomew an update on her portfolio." The two men shook hands and Warren headed for the Danger Room.

It was a shame that Miss Bartholomew thought so poorly of him now, really. Warren had thought she was rather pretty, especially when she'd been so angry, with the color rising in her cheeks and fire in her blue eyes. Oh, well. It wasn't like Warren was particularly looking for that brand of trouble anyway. He had enough on his plate without chasing skirts, though it made his inner college frat boy cringe to rank anything but partying over getting a girl. The price of actually growing up, he supposed. _Oh how the mighty have fallen_, he thought sarcastically at himself as he punched in the elevator code for the lower levels of the Institute.

Millie stormed down to the back yard, not sure entirely where she was going until she'd gotten there. The nerve of that... that-! Oh! She couldn't even think of the words, she was so angry. Her fists clenched tightly, she stalked the gardens looking for a place to just cool off. She knew she should go check on Jamie, but right now she couldn't. She was still to upset. And wondering if she had messed up and done the wrong things. But... she'd gotten them here, hadn't she? Safely and with the information their father had wanted her to pass on intact. Jamie was in school again and he wasn't any worse for the wear and-

Warren was wrong. He had to be. There was no way she could have done things any other way. And if he didn't approve, well, that was his problem.

Jerk. Mega-jerk. Biggest jerk of all time.

"Millie!"

She jerked a bit as the sound of someone calling her name pulled her out of her angry, mental tirade. She suppressed a sigh and turned to the voice. 'Not in the mood' didn't even begin to cover how she felt at the moment.

Ororo smiled as she approached at a regal, sedate pace. "Is everything all right?" she asked softly.

Ororo wasn't in the garden by accident. Charles had asked her to come down and check on the girl after explaining the situation. Ororo was going to have words with that man about what was and wasn't appropriate when it came to getting a feel for people. She loved Charles like her own father, but sometimes he made the worst decisions when it came to dealing with people. Which was rather odd for a telepath.

"More or less." She answered, pushing her hair back from her face. "Well, except that my broker is a complete asshole."

"Ah, you have met Warren." Ororo chuckled quietly as she sat on a stone bench with the same grace as a queen on her throne. Millie had to wonder if the woman ever made a move that wasn't elegant and poised. Even out in the rain the night before the woman had moved with the same unconscious elegance normally attributed to royalty or dancers. "Do not let him bother you, Millie. He is a good man that sometimes has a bad case of speaking before he thinks, as all men do," she confided conspiratorially.

Millie wrapped her arms around herself and pressed her lips together. She wanted to believe Ororo, she really did, but it seemed like everything that was happening was too good to be true, including a calming conversation with a woman that Millie knew she could very easily come to like.

"Maybe, but everything sounded very well thought out from where I was sitting," she muttered as she remembered the way the Worthington had thrashed the way she was taking care of her brother.

"What did he say?" Ororo asked, studying the girl's posture, trying to get a sense of her. It was harder than it should have been. She seemed very contradictory. On the one hand, she came off as very quiet and uncertain, a bit like a terrified rabbit that would jump at the slightest provocation. But there had to be courage and strength in her, too. If there weren't she wouldn't have made the journey with her brother like she had, or stood up to Warren like she had.

Millie hesitated, then shook her head. She wasn't going to complain to a complete stranger. "It doesn't matter. He's an idiot that doesn't know what he's talking about." She looked out at the landscaping. "Did you plant all of this?"

Ororo raised her eyebrow at the not-exactly-subtle change of subject. "Most. We did have to hire some professional landscapers to do the heavy work, but since they've gone I've planted and tended them, primarily. Some of the students trade off lawn mowing duties with the tractor."

"They're lovely." Millie looked around at the garden, admiring the flowers and the plants. She'd only ever dreamed of being able to have a garden like this. "If- I mean, I could... if you wanted..." she stammered nervously and stopped herself, thinking very stern things at her lack of confidence. It wasn't like she was asking anything big. She was offering to help if she needed it. That's all. It wasn't like she was asking for a kidney or something. Besides, she'd just yelled down the biggest asshole of all time in the office of her father's friend. This should not be difficult. Then again, this was asking for something she really wanted, not just defending herself from the poor assumptions of another. "If you need some help, I'd be happy to give you a hand," she finally managed.

Ororo smiled. "That would be wonderful, thank you. They do get to be a bit of a handful between trying to take care of them properly and teach my classes. Feel free to come out whenever you want. There is also an indoor garden on the top level of the mansion that you are welcome to work in." She checked her watch. "And I am sorry, Millie, but I have a class in five minutes. Will you be alright?"

She nodded. "Yes. I think I'll just stay out here for a while."

"Alright. I will see you later." Ororo stood and started to walk away. Then she paused and looked back at Millie. "I am glad you and your brother made it here." She walked towards the house, leaving Millie somewhat stunned in the middle of the garden.


	4. Chapter 4

It didn't take Jamie long to settle in at the school. By the end of the week he was moving his things into the boys dormitory to share a room with two boys who had taken him under their collective wings. Jamie was the youngest boy there, but that didn't seem to deter him from going out and making all the friends that he could. His openness and outgoing nature made him fit right in with the other students and his shape-shifting ability made him a popular playmate.

Millie wished she could say the same for herself. She was getting settled in, certainly, but she still felt off. It was hard to believe that she'd gotten used to running after only a month, but that's what it felt like. She should be going somewhere, trying to get away from an invisible something that was hot on her heels. Just staying in one place seemed like a recipe for disaster.

Friday afternoon found her sitting between the roots of a large tree, wondering just what it was she was supposed to do now. She pulled a seed out of her pocket and, after pressing it into the ground, she focused her powers on the spot and slowly urged the flower to grow in front of her. After a few moments it began to sprout under her hand and slowly get larger. It hadn't grown more than a foot when she stopped, sweating and just a little pale. The plant had a few leaves, but no blooms, and it's woody stem was decidedly fragile looking. She sighed, wishing her abilities were more impressive, but really the most she could do was to make a bud bloom on an already established plant. Anything she tried to grow from scratch just ended up too weak to manage on its own.

"Not bad," came a voice along with the sound of clapping hands.

Millie looked up to see the worthy Worthington standing about ten feet away and she bit back a groan. What was he doing here?

He stepped forward into the shade of her tree and Millie saw that he was dressed just as impeccably as he had been the other day when she'd met him, though his hair was slightly mussed from the breeze. "May I have a seat?"

Millie shrugged and focused on her plant again, this time making it recede back into its seed stage. Taking them back was always easier than growing, and it was kinder to put them back into a form where they might have a chance to survive.

She felt more than saw him take a seat next to her, not too close, but within speaking distance. "What do you want?" she asked as she dug the seed back up from the ground.

Warren leaned back on his hands and pretended to think about the question. "World peace, for my company's quarter to put us in the black again, a really, really good cheeseburger, the kind you see on TV, and..." He trailed off consideringly. "Oh! Right. I want my two front teeth. Put a good word in with the big guy for me?" He grinned winningly at her, earning a snort.

"Riiiiight," Millie replied, drawing out the word to voice her lack of amusement and disinterest. She leaned back against the tree trunk and contrived to look uninterested. It was harder than it should have been, honestly. Despite the fact that he was an asshole, she had to admit to herself that he was nice to look at and there was something magnetic about his personality that made her want to talk to him anyway, especially given the way he was trying to be relaxed and tease her. Which ended up making her disgusted with herself, and she turned that on him. "Anything else?"

"...to apologize?"

That got her attention. She looked at him quizzically. "What? Really? You know how to do that?" she asked, her voice holding the bitter edge of sarcasm.

"I probably deserve that," Warren said slowly. "I think. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the other day. Charles caught me at a bad time and unfortunately I took it out on you." He ran a hand through his hair, attempting to comb back a couple of strands that had fallen annoyingly close to his eyes. "I know it's no excuse, but I am sorry. I was hoping that maybe you could be persuaded to give me a second chance. Particularly since you did hire me to help you with your accounts?"

Millie eyed him skeptically and he smiled hopefully. The expression was strangely like the one Jamie assumed when he wanted something. And usually she had a hard time not giving into him when he gave her that look. "...I can't believe I'm giving into puppy eyes from anyone but my brother," she muttered.

"Excuse me, but I do not resort to puppy eyes," Warren retorted hotly.

"Right. The wide eyes, the hopeful smile. It's totally the puppy face!" she insisted, feeling a grin spread across her lips despite herself.

Warren chuckled softly. "Well, then, since you don't want to be unintentionally manipulated, I'll do this properly. Give me your hand." Warren sat up and brushed his palms against each other to get the bits of grass and dirt off of them. His expression turned solemn as he looked at her and held out his hand for hers, but there was a hint of mirth in his eyes. Millie hesitated before placing her hand in his, just knowing she was going to regret this. "Miss Amelia Bartholomew. Please accept these most solemn of apologies for my previous behavior and malignation of your character of a few days ago. I am truly, truly ashamed of myself and can only pray that you will be able to find it in your generous heart to forgive me." He looked at her imploringly.

Millie frowned. "Is malignation even a word?"

Warren sighed dramatically and attempted to appear long-suffering. "You're ruining the moment."

"Alright, alright. I forgive you. Can I have my hand back?" she asked, giving it a little tug.

Warren gripped it for a second and placed a light kiss on the back of her knuckles before releasing it. "Thank you, gracious lady. You are truly magnanimous."

Millie pulled her hand back, eyeing him curiously.

"What?"

"You are strange."

"Let you in on a secret: most of us around here are." He sprawled out on the grass and tucked his hands behind his head. "How are you liking the Institute?"

"Well enough. Jamie likes it here. He's already got half of the student population willing to play fetch with him whenever he wants and all of the girls want to give him skritchies and belly rubs when he shape-shifts as a matter of course. Apparently, my little brother makes an adorable puppy." But then, she'd already known that. Millie shifted her weight and brought up one knee to hug to her chest. "I'm going to try not to worry too much about that last bit til he's older."

"That's probably wise." Warren had no idea why he was interested in how she was doing. Technically, she was a client. And even if she wasn't, he had no business prying into the life of some woman he barely knew. Especially since up to a few minutes ago he was pretty sure she hated his guts. "Anyway, I wanted to give you this." He sat up and reached for his briefcase. Once he had it in hand, he opened it to pull out an envelope. "I've got your investments on a bi-weekly payscale, so you'll be getting a check every couple of weeks for a while. After this one, I'll have them mailed directly to the institute, but I wanted to explain a few things to you and answer any questions you might have."

Millie took the envelope but didn't open it. She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue.

"Right now you're the only one on the stock registration. This is for both you and your brother, but since he's a minor it has to go through his legal guardian, which is you."

Millie looked at him. "About that. Not that I mind being Jamie's guardian, because I don't, but in the event of dad's death wouldn't custody immediately go to his mother?" She didn't want to think about the possibility of losing Jamie to their donor womb, but she had to address it.

Warren shook his head. He understood her concern and was happy to be able to put the fear to rest. "Normally, yes, however, I've done some research and during the divorce proceedings, your mother signed away all parental rights to Jamie. In theory, she could try to make a bid for him, but since she did that and Jamie is almost of an age to select where he wants to go in this situation, she probably won't. As it stands now, the paper work is submitted and filed and you are Jamie's guardian."

She sighed her relief, feeling a bit of tension go out of her neck at that news. "All right. Thank you."

Warrend nodded. "You're welcome. Now, when he turns 18, you'll both have the option to split everything with him in half."

Millie frowned thoughtfully and turned the envelope in her hands. "I don't suppose... Is there any way that I could take half of this and put it in a trust for him for when he turns 18?"

Warren frowned thoughtfully. "I suppose I could. But are you sure you want a full half of it to go in? The money is to support both of you."

Millie arched an eyebrow at him. "What would you suggest, then?"

"If you really want to start a college trust for Jamie, I'd put no more than a quarter of the amount per check into it. That way you'll have the money to support yourself and Jamie for things he needs like new clothes and stuff and even give him a bit of an allowance. A good trust will yield a reasonable interest, so you can make up at least some of the difference." Warren un-buttoned his blazer and slid it off his shoulders as he spoke and laid it neatly between them. He flicked open the catch on the harness that held his wings in place and let it fall down his arms and shoulders to release his wings. He stretched them carefully; they were always a little stiff after being bound. "That's my suggestion as your financial adviser. But before you make a decision you should probably go ahead and open the check and run the numbers."

Millie glanced at his face long enough to see the knowing smirk play across his lips, but her attention was caught by the large, white wings moving behind him. She blinked a little and glanced back at Warren's face. "How do you fold those down enough that they don't show under your coat?" she asked before she even thought about it. Then she seemed to realize what an impertinent question that was and glanced away, blushing hotly. "Sorry. Nevermind."

Warren chuckled quietly. It was rather refreshing to find someone willing to be that honest and open with him. Given who he was, it was almost impossible to find someone besides one of the XMen that was willing to be truthful with him. And she was cute when she blushed. "Don't be sorry. I don't mind. They fold down close to my back, sort of like a bird's will press to its body, but I use a harness to hold them in place so you can't see them at all under my clothes. I also have to have my shirts specially made with holes in the back, which is a bit of a bitch, but worth it."

She nodded and bit her lip as she studied the wings. They were at least 16 feet wide and feathered like a bird's, complete with different types of feathers. She raised her hand and reached for the one closest to her, but caught herself and pulled back. "Ah, they're... nice."

Warren brought his right wing across between them and smiled at her from over it. "You can touch it. I don't mind."

"Are you sure? It's kind of rude, to say the least," she looked up at him, her blue eyes meeting his. "I mean, isn't it kind of like a morbid curiosity thing? Sort of 'I hated your guts two minutes ago, but can I touch your mutation' kind of thing?"

He smirked, amused by her wit. "Probably, but really, it's fine. It's actually rather nice to find someone that's honestly curious rather than disgusted or obviously trying not to mention it." He waggled the wing a little, teasing and enticing her. "Go on. It won't bite, I promise."

Millie took a deep breath and pressed her lips together. "Alright. If you're sure." She reached for the feathered wing and ran the backs of her knuckled down with the direction of the wide primaries. She remembered from a zoo trip when she was a child that people shouldn't touch bird feathers with their palm or finger pads because of the oil in their skin. For all she knew, his wings were the same way. They were soft and she leaned forward curiously to get a closer look.

Warren suppressed a shiver. He had never had anyone touch his wings with the kind of gentle inquisitiveness that she showed. Even his former lovers, who had touched and preened them as a matter of course, had never been so soft or inclined to study them closely. He held himself very still, watching her face as she studied the wing he'd offered, being careful not to betray his thoughts. "We did x-rays years ago, when I first met the Professor. My bones are hollow, like a bird's, so that I can fly. And all the feathers are comparable to a raptor's, primaries and secondaries and that sort of thing," he explained to fill the silence before he did something he'd regret.

"Really?" She looked back up at him, letting her hand fall away. "Don't they break easily, then?"

"Actually, no. They're lightweight, but very strong. And if something does happen I'm a fast healer. I can heal a broken bone in a matter of days rather than weeks." Warren moved his wing back behind them so it was no longer separating them. He watched, with some disappointment, as she scooted back to her original position. "I must say, you're adjusting to an all mutant environment very well if you react that well to physical mutations," he commented, reaching behind him to idly scratch his shoulder blade.

"My little brother runs around as a puppy most of the time, my guide around here has blue fur and a prehensile tail, and my mechanic has foot long metal claws that shoot out of his hands. Somehow, I don't think a pair of giant angel wings are that odd." She favored him with a dry smirk as she settled back to a safe distance and stretched her legs out in front of her, crossing them at her ankles.

Warren laughed at that concise observation of Institute life and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, I concede. You make a good point."

"Thank you." She cocked her head to one side. "You know, you're not as big of a jerk as I thought you were."

"I like to think I'm not a jerk at all, thank you." He retorted.

Millie snorted. "Please. When I first met you the other day I wanted to take that silver spoon out of your mouth and beat you with it."

"Ooh, you're cruel." He raised his eyebrows. "I thought flower children were supposed to be kind and peaceful."

"And I thought angels were supposed to be without malice," she shot back. The two mock glared at one another for a moment. Millie was the first to break the stare down and start laughing. Warren followed soon after.

"Alright. Open your check, flower child," he ordered a few moments later. It was childish, but he wanted to see her reaction. Besides, she was rather pleasant when she didn't want to beat him bloody.

"Ok, ok. God, pushy, too." She rolled her eyes good-naturedly and slid her finger under the flap of the envelope to pull up the glue. Once that was done, she pulled out the check and read it. Then she read it again. Then she looked at Warren, back at the check, and at him again. "Are you sure that's right?"

"I told you. Your father invested very very well."

Millie nodded, but the mention of her father seemed to sober her good mood. "He did a lot of things right." She sighed and slid the check back into the envelope.

"It still hurts to think of him, doesn't it?" Warren asked carefully, not wanting to upset her further.

"Yeah. I mean, I know why he did it, and it's been over a month, but sometimes I can just see it so clearly. Like it's happening all over again, right in front of me." She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. "And then I feel bad, because Dad wouldn't want me to be sad. And I don't even know if he's really dead. I mean, it's pretty much a given that he is, but it's hard to believe it since I didn't see him go down or anything."

Warren nodded and they fell silent for a few moments. "I met him once." He picked up a blade of grass and twirled it in his fingers thoughtfully. "It was a couple of years ago. A legislative thing that the professor had asked me to sit in on with Ororo and Hank. He wasn't supposed to speak. He was there assisting one of the others, a woman I think. But she asked him to tell the people about his experience with mutants. They were trying to ban known mutants from schools, I think." He chuckled. "He wasn't eloquent or prepared, but his heart was in it. You could see that."

Millie picked up a few little ground flowers and started absently braiding them together. "I remember that. I was at home with Jamie, watching it on TV. Dad did more local legislative stuff than he ever did the national stuff. He always thought that if things started small, on the local level, with the city and town laws, then they'd grow to the state and national levels." She chuckled a little. "The next night, he got in late, after Jamie was in bed, and he and I sat at the kitchen table for hours eating cold pizza and talking about it. He was so excited." She looked at him. "That's how he knew about this place, isn't it? He met you guys that night and you got him in contact with the professor."

"Well, actually, that was more Ororo and Hank, but yes. They gave your father Charles's card after the meeting. I think their initial intent had been to try and get him to send you and your brother to school here. Obviously, things worked out a little differently."

"Just a bit." She sighed and slipped the little flower bracelet over her wrist.

"What about your mom?" Warren asked after a pause.

She gave a derisive snort. "I haven't had a mom since I was 12 and made a rose bloom in my hands for her."

"She left." Warren nodded, understanding.

"No. She was still there. She had my brother Peter to take care of, and a year later she was pregnant with Jamie. She loved dad. She just couldn't deal with me." Millie pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees. "Then Jamie turned out to be a shifter and all bets were off. She took Pete and divorced dad. I moved back in to take care of Jamie while dad managed the office and the legislative stuff. Haven't seen her or Pete since." She shrugged a bit. "It's better this way, really. I mean, at least Jamie won't ever have to know that mom left because she couldn't stand the idea of being the mother of a mutant. Dad and I always told him that it was because she and dad stopped getting along."

"Do you really think he believed that?"

Millie snorted softly and shook her head. "No, but he was kind enough to pretend. And he knew without a doubt that Dad and I loved him. We never missed a game or a program. No matter how busy Dad was, he was always there for Jamie's soccer." She sighed and stared out at the expanse of grass in front of her.

They fell into a companionable silence that was broken moments later by Warren's cell phone going off with a generic ring tone. He sighed and pulled it out of the pocket of his slacks to glance at the caller ID. "Of course," he muttered as he saw who it was. "Excuse me, Millie. I need to take this." when Millie nodded, he stood and wandered a few yards away to take his call.

Millie fingered the envelope in her hands. She exhaled slowly and stood. She needed to walk and figure things out. She glanced over at Warren for a second, his back to her and his wings mantled, as he talked on the phone, and found herself admiring him for a moment. Blond and blue eyed with a muscular build and narrow waist, he could have been the poster boy for 'rich and pretty'. That should have been more than enough red flags to keep her from even looking but she couldn't help it. Blushing furiously, she tore her gaze away before he could turn and catch her. _Time for a walk. _She risked a glance back over and he was looking her direction and smiled and waved before going back to his conversation. _Definitely time for a walk._

She took off to the far edges of the estate.

Warren hung up his phone and turned back to where he'd left Millie only to find she'd disappeared. "Well, damn," he muttered. So much for his cunning plan to subtly spend the afternoon with her, which had admittedly sprung up within the last few minutes of conversation with her, somewhere between her curiosity about his wings and talking about her father. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Probably for the best. At least, he'd try to convince himself of that. Attraction that came on as fast as his had for the woman was probably unhealthy. And it was definitely not a distraction either of them needed right now.

_She was dreaming again. She always knew when she was dreaming these days. At least, with these dreams. Lately, they'd shifted from their home in Nebraska to be set in the Institute somewhere. They were sitting in her room this time and she was tending flower pots on the balcony that weren't there in reality. It felt so real, yet she knew it for a dream because her powers were stronger here than they were in reality. Here, her plants grew at her slightest thought and flourished with just a slight nudge. Some of them even insisted on following her around like pets, their leaves and branches growing from their pots to be close to her._

_"You seem like you're settling in." Jefferson commented from the doorway._

_"Jamie's doing better," she admitted. "He's living with a few boys over in the dorms now." She turned to sit on the balcony railing, a few plants coiling up to rest next to her._

_"I know. Bobby and Sam. They're good boys, though a little prone to trouble."_

_"Aren't all boys that age?" Millie countered. "Do you visit him, like you do me?"_

_"Yes. Usually I see him first, since he's in bed before you." Jefferson crossed his arms over his chest. "Why don't you ask me what you really want to ask me, Flora?"_

_"Why didn't you tell me? For that matter, why were you living a lie while telling Jamie and me that there was nothing to be ashamed of?"_

_Jefferson sighed. "There's no easy answer to that. I told you I have some precognitive abilities, right?" When she nodded, he continued. "Well, problem with that is that the future is continuously in flux, changing from moment to moment. Sometimes, when I have a clear choice, like whether or not to have told you and your mother when your powers became apparent, I can see two possible futures. In that moment, I saw one future, where your mother took Pete and left us as soon as she found out that I was a mutant as well. Jamie wouldn't have been born, and there was every chance you would have been dead a year later. The other future I saw gave us Jamie and gave both of you a chance to survive and thrive. Was I wrong?"_

_Millie swallowed and shook her head. "No. Of course not. This is just so new to me, Dad." She stroked a flower that had curled next to her hand lightly. "Is this real? Are you still alive?"_

_"After a fashion. It's hard to explain. And I don't have time right now. Millie, promise me something?"_

_"Anything, Dad."_

_"Don't leave the Institute."_


End file.
